Police crack down on local thugs, book over 220 offenders in a night

NASHIK: The local thugs or bhais may have harassed women and made life difficult for residents for months, but the trouble is about to end. The city police on Friday night launched a special drive to round up the bhais and booked 223 offenders.
Called 'Operation Bhai', the police swung into action after receiving a slew of complaints from residents of Ambad, Cidco, Satpur and Upnagar area of the growing nuisance from the local goons.The preventive action was initiated after several women approached the police regarding the constant harassment by miscreants.
Deputy commissioner of police (Zone II) Shrikant Dhivare said that they had received complaints about local thugs causing nuisance. Residents approach police teams out on cycle patrolling, nakabandi or raids in gambling dens to take action against the culprits.
Eve-teasing, drinking openly in public places, creating nuisance, rash driving, damaging vehicles is a common practice among the goons. Recently, goons threw a bunch of crackers on a teenage girl, who was walking home during Diwali. The incident created panic among the residents of the area.
The officer said that the persons calling themselves bhais are often unemployed youths and fascinated by movie culture. The notorious local goons were identified on basis of complaints and information provided by the detection branch officials. The suspects were booked under section 149 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which allows every police officer to interpose for the purpose of preventing the commission of any cognizable offence.
"This incident was a cause of concern. We initiated the preventive action against the bhais to prevent any serious offence taking place in the city. The aim is to allow common citizen to roam around freely without any fear," Dhivare said.
Till Saturday evening, the police had registered maximum number of cases (59) in Satpur area, followed by Ambad, Indiranagar and Devlali with 38 cases each. The police took action against 27 bhais in Nashik Roadand booked 23 goons in Upnagar.
Senior inspector at Ambad police station B D Bardekar said, "Many times, people are afraid to lodge complaints against the miscreants. If someone approaches the police or objects to their behaviour, the men tear their bikes' seat covers, scratch vehicles or set them on fire. Extorting money in the name of donations is another form of harassment residents face."
Bardekar said that some of the persons booked since Friday had previous criminal records against them. In some cases, the friends and relatives of the goons, who had also recently joined their activities, were out on police records and released after warning. These measures would enable the police to identify and track these suspects in case of any crimes in the city.
Box: ACTION TAKEN
Police stationNo. Of cases
Indiranagar17
Ambad38
Upnagar 20
Camp24
Satpur 30
Nashik Road 19
Total148
Box
Section 149 in The Code Of Criminal Procedure, 1973
149. Police to prevent cognizable offences. Every police officer may interpose for the purpose of preventing, and shall, to the best of his ability, prevent, the commission of any cognizable offence.
Eom/HN